A Mermaid's Plea
by Bunny Fair
Summary: Guraze plays 'save the damsel in distress', except it's not the ordinary damsel. It's a mermaid
1. Chapter 1

Guraze leaned against the railing of his ship and smiled as they neared the port. He inhaled deeply and smiled at the mixture of spices. It wasn't the busiest of towns he visited on his regular trips, but it was a hot spot for locals to trade spices and herbs so it tended to have a wide variety of smells coming from it.

He straightened up as the ship started slowing and helped weigh anchor before walking down the gangplank. He pulled the shirt around his waist on properly and buttoned it halfway before making his way into the main hub as his men unloaded the necessary crates. He looked around at the unusually busy market and raised an eyebrow when he caught the word 'mermaid'.

Sure, he'd seen a lot of crazy stuff while sailing, but mermaids? Those were just old sailors' tales. The sea may seem endless, but mermaids were just a ridiculous concept like dragons.

He shook his head and worked his way through the crowd, his jaw dropping at the sight before him. Looks like those crazy old sailors weren't so crazy after all. And maybe dragons did live in mountains somewhere, lurking inside with mountains of gold and gems. And slain knights.

It was a large, glass box filled with water. However, it was what was inside the water that had people staring and jaws on the floor. A woman... with a fish tail connected to her waist and replacing her legs. Pale blond hair floated around her head and her bright blue-green eyes looked around the faces staring at her.

Her tail was a mixture of colors, pink and green and blue. She had curled into herself and her tail almost circled around the human portion of her body, only leaving her head visible to stare in fear at the crowd. Her eyes landed on him and he flinched at the fear openly swimming in her eyes. He watched as her mouth moved and could tell it was a plea for help.

He frowned and nodded slightly before turning and walking to the large manor in town. Business first, he reminded himself. Finish your job and then save the damsel in distress, he thought.

He nodded firmly and forced a smile as he spoke with the man, taking his payment. He handed it off to the onboard money manager and quietly informed his men that they weren't staying long. They gave him an odd look, but didn't question it at the determined look on his face.

Guraze lingered around the crowd as the day passed and watched as a wealthy man climbed on a table, calling everyone's' attention. Guraze took a swig from his beer and leaned back, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. He works with wealthy men and he's developed a sixth sense for when they're up to something dirty.

The wealthy man cleared his throat obnoxiously and waved his hands, successfully gathering everyone's attention. "Who wants to touch the mermaid herself?! Pay me and I'll let you feel her soft skin or even take some of her hair! Mermaid hair is supposed to have healing properties and even increase your lifespan!"

Guraze dropped the glass, barely hearing it shatter on the ground as people crowded the man, quickly shoving money at him. Guraze stared as two men climbed into the tank, sending the mermaid into a worried and scared fit. She flailed as the men fumbled to grab her and he couldn't even crack a smile when her tail fin snapped across one of the men's face.

The men managed to lift her out and dropped her onto the ground. She pushed herself back against the glass box and tried unsuccessfully to keep away from the hands pulling at her hair and touching her from all over her body. She let out a screech and sobbed openly as they pulled strands of her hair out.

He glared as they freely groped her and felt his body shake with anger. These men were scum, touching an innocent and captured creature such as herself. He flinched when her sobs reached his ears and stood quickly, making his way through the crowd.

He pushed others aside when they froze and didn't notice when the yelling turned into silence. He stepped forward and stared as the tail fin seemingly peeled off of her legs, revealing pale skin of human legs. The scales fell off and he stared as she hugged her knees tightly, curling into herself.

Bruising was already forming across her arms and shoulders and he saw the faint marks of netting across her back, informing him she must've gotten caught in a fishing net. But the bruising was from the men grabbing her and already he could see small patches of hair missing from her head. His hands formed into fists and he surged forward, quickly scooping her in his arms.

He tucked her into his chest and quickly pushed through the crowd while they were distracted. The mermaid sobbed softly and clung to his shirt, keeping her face hidden in his chest. He ran to his ship and quickly climbed on as the crowd realized what he'd done.

He turned to his men and yelled, "We're leaving, now! If anyone tries to stop us, they're to be left unharmed if possible!"

The men carrying cargo dropped it either back onto the deck or on the dock, quickly untying the ship and unfurling the sails. Guraze held the mermaid to his chest and made his way into the ship, making a beeline for his room. He gently set her in the hammock and covered her with a blanket.

He patted her head and softly said, "Stay here, alright? We'll get you home and safe soon. As soon as we're out of these waters, okay?"

She curled her fingers in the blanket and nodded slightly, her tears slowing their stream. He gave her a small smile and unbuttoned his shirt as he walked out, shutting the door behind himself as he made his way back onto deck.


	2. Chapter 2

The young woman hugged the blanket around her as she sat in the hammock and slowly relaxed as it swayed. She smiled slightly and took a deep breath; inhaling the scent of the room. It smelled like the sea, mixed with some spice and overall musk. Much nicer than those harsh smells from the men at the port.

She rubbed the blanket between her fingers and relaxed at the soft feel of it, adjusting it around her bare body better. She looked around and tilted her head at the bed shoved into a corner of the room and had a couple pillows tossed on it. A few empty beer bottles rolled around the floor and she focused on them, listening to the sound they made.

She smiled slightly and tilted her head, listening to the men fighting and yelling on deck. She carefully moved to sat up and dangled her feet off the edge, smiling as she swayed back and forth. It felt like she was floating on water, except she was in air.

She lightly swung her feet as she swayed and closed her eyes as she thought. The man that saved her had seemed outraged at what happened to her and was risking himself to save her. However, she had seen many evil human men and pirates were some of the worst. And this man certainly seemed to be a pirate.

She took a deep breath and looked up when she heard the yelling and fighting slow to a stop. She curled her fingers in the blanket and stared at the door. A few minutes passed and, finally, she heard his footsteps come towards the room.

He opened the door and blinked in surprise when he saw her sitting up and staring at him. He smiled at her and shut the door back after stepping inside. "Hey, how are you? Not hurt too bad, are you?"

She blinked at him and shook her head.

He nodded and sat on the bed, pulling the bandana off his head to brush his fingers through his sweaty hair. "That's good. I hope you don't mind staying on board for another day or so. I want to make sure we're in the clear and you're safe before we let you go."

She tilted her head and licked her lips before softly speaking, "Are you, pirates?"

He blinked at her and chuckled, shaking his head. "No, we're merchants. But we do know how to handle ourselves in a fight when push comes to shove."

She nodded and stared at the red cloth in his hand. "I live in reefs, not open sea."

He smiled slightly and glanced over her legs. "Your tail reminded me of coral reefs. Uh, is that normal, by the way? Do others' tails fall off when they're dry?"

She frowned and eyed him, her eyes narrowing. "Tails for swimming, legs for walking. Why want to know?"

He shook his head and held up his hands, noticing her eyes flickering to the bandana still in his hand. "I'm just curious. The only men who speak of mermaids are crazy old sailors in bars. You can ask me questions, too."

She nodded and watched as he passed the bandana from one hand to the other. "Where you live? On ship?"

He smiled slightly and bunched up the cloth before smoothing it out. "Yeah, this is my home now. I was born in the country Serica, but I became a sea merchant and now my ship is my home. I am welcomed in several countries and cities, though."

She nodded and gripped the edge of the blanket. "Men, drawn to sea and money. Mother was drawn to land and love."

He tilted his head and leaned back against the wall. "Were you born in the sea or on land?"

She slowly relaxed as she watched him fold and unfold the cloth repeatedly and softly said, "Born on land, drawn to sea. Mother died, father drunk, left to sea."

He smiled slightly and nodded slowly. "Ah, we're similar then. Mom died when I was in my teens, dad got a drinking habit and I left, joining some sea merchants as their cleaning boy. Worked my way up, now I'm a respected captain."

She nodded and tightened her grip on the blanket. "Respect sea, sea is home."

He nodded and rested his head back against the wall, looking up at the ceiling. "Right at home on the sea. Name's Guraze, what's yours?"

She blinked and slowly said, "Guraze. I am Daria. Mother named me."

He hummed and said, "Daria, lovely name for a lovely lady."

She gave him a look and he laughed, smiling widely. She rolled her eyes and softly huffed. "Men, drawn to sea, money, and women."

He grinned and stood, holding out his bandana. "Here, you can play with this. Let's find some clothes for you, I'm sure you don't wanna be stuck in here all day."

She took the cloth and looked over it, nodding. "Feel trapped, but not. Feel better outside."

He stared as she played with the cloth for a moment before turning on his heel, walking out the room. She was like him, drawn to the sea and happier outside. Probably even happier once she was in the water and able to freely swim again.


	3. Chapter 3

Daria stared up at the night sky as she sat on deck and repeatedly brushed her fingers over the red bandana in her hands. It was surprisingly soft and it soothed her, unlike the clothes she was currently wearing.

The smaller men of the crew had to forfeit their pants and shirts for her to wear, which she did appreciate. But the feeling of the clothing was rough against her skin and nullified the comfort of being covered. When Guraze had brushed her hair and tied it into a braid for her, though, that felt much nicer and relaxing.

She softly sighed and rested her head against the railing of which she sat against, staring at the dark waves as they crashed against the side of the ship. Earlier, the ship was noisier with the men yelling at each other's, working the ropes, and their boots stomping on the wood. It was all too noisy for her and Guraze had to order his men to try to be quieter for her.

The men struggled at first, having been so used to being freely noisy. However, they started singing and, after realizing she loved their shanties, they just sang over the other noises of the ship. She'd clapped along to the songs and even tried to follow along with their words occasionally.

Now, the ship was quiet and the night was a calm one. The wind was in their favor, according to the navigator, and they should make it to the nearest coral reefs within a full day's time. With the sails fully unfurled, the ship seemingly glided across the water to their destination.

She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, clutching the cloth tightly. The smell of the sea enveloped her like a blanket and she could feel droplets of water hitting her skin every so often. However, she would not regain her tail until she was fully in the water.

These men were much different than the pirates that had taken her. None of Guraze's men stared long enough to make her uncomfortable and they all kept a respectable distance from her. And, more importantly, none of them tried to grab her or even made fun of her for needing to be carried around.

She looked down at the cloth and smiled slightly. Guraze was a very kind man and very funny. He told her exaggerated stories of his life on the sea and the dangers he'd faced throughout his life so far. He'd claimed to have even speared a whale to death once, but she highly doubted that. No mere man could kill a whale, even with a crew like his.

She silently decided she liked him and would try to leave the safety of her reef to see him again. Or he could visit her whenever he visited the nearby port. Which, as he had told her, was far enough away she shouldn't be seeing any humans and could swim freely.

She smiled slightly and closed her eyes, resting her head on the railing. Yes, she very much liked Guraze. But she loved the sea and the sea was her home, much like the ship was his home. And, despite the men enjoying her presence, staying on the ship was simply draining her energy. There was too much going on at once and, even though their attempts to help did work some, she simply could not live on the ship.

She looked up when she heard Guraze's footsteps and blinked when he placed the blanket from his hammock around her shoulders. He smiled and sat beside her, guiding his legs through the rails to dangle them off the edge. She smiled back at him and leaned into his side, nudging him to take part of the blanket.

He hugged her shoulders and tucked her close to him, adjusting the blanket to stretch around them both. She smiled softly and rested her head on his chest, the pair staring out at the vast ocean. Maybe, just maybe, they could make it work.


	4. Chapter 4

Guraze helped Daria into the rowboat and climbed in, adjusting the bandana around his head. "Alright, lower us down. I'll be back after she's in the clear, alright?"

The men nodded and lowered the boat into the water. Daria smiled widely and waved rapidly as Guraze started rowing them closer. The men waved back and she giggled when a couple of them declared they would miss her dearly.

She turned on the bench to look at the water and smiled widely as it slowly brightened. She dipped her hand in and hummed happily, feeling the warm water almost hug her hand. She looked up at Guraze and watched as his back muscles flex with each row.

She licked her lips and smiled sweetly when he glanced over his shoulder to look at her. He chuckled and lightly smirked at her. "See something you like?"

She giggled and nodded. "Yes. Much nicer than fish."

He laughed and smiled widely. "Glad to hear it. You're much nicer than fish yourself."

She laughed and cupped her hand in the water before splashing him. He laughed and shifted his grip before carefully smacking the water with an oar, thoroughly splashing her. She squealed and lightly flapped her hands, her smile reaching from ear to ear.

He grinned and continuing rowing, slowing when they reached a spot just deep enough to reach his shoulders. He tossed the small anchor over and turned to face her. "Ready to return home? Or, your new home, I should say?"

She smiled widely and nodded, looking around at the different corals and small fish that swam between them. "New home pretty, warm."

He nodded and pulled off his shirt and shoes before jumping in, carefully standing on a sandy spot. He held up his hands and smiled at her. "Well, clothes off and hop on in. I've got you."

She giggled and pulled off the clothes before grabbing his arms, letting him help her into the water. She shakily kicked her feet and took a deep breath before lowering herself into the water fully. He held onto her forearms and watched as her legs slowly reformed scales and a fin overtaking her feet. Gills opened on each side of her neck and he faintly noticing some webbing form between her fingers.

She popped back up and smiled widely at him, her braid resting on her shoulder. "Normal again!"

He nodded and let go of her arms. "Yes, you are. Everything feel alright?"

She nodded and untied the braid, letting her hair return to its' previous wild state. She almost looked perfect again, the bruises had healed quickly and the spots on her scalp were quickly growing fresh hair. Turned out mermaids healed faster than humans.

He smiled and watched as she swam around him, her tail almost blending in with the corals. "Looks like you're right at home here. I should probably go now, don't wanna attract any attention."

She stopped in front of him and frowned slightly. "Will return?"

He chuckled and lightly smirked. "What, gonna miss me?"

She nodded and gripped his arms. "Guraze is friend. Friends return."

He smiled and gently patted her hands. "I'll come back, I promise. Here, take this. So, you know I'll come back."

She blinked when he untied his bandana and took her hand to tie it around her wrist. She smiled and lightly petted the fabric. "Promise to come back."

He nodded and lightly smirked. "We can even kiss to seal the deal."

She giggled and nodded. "Must seal deal."

He chuckled and pressed his lips to hers. She hugged his shoulders and pressed her bare chest to his, her tail carefully curling behind her. He hummed softly and slowly pulled away, tasting salt on his lips.

"I'll return, I promise. Promise to stay here?"

She nodded and pressed her forehead to his, closing her eyes. "Home now. Home safe."

He smiled softly and gently kissed her again before letting her go and pulling himself back into the boat. She stared up at him and gripped the edge of the boat. He pushed his hair back and smiled down at her. "What's the matter?"

She smiled at him and shook her head. "Sea will protect Guraze. Guraze protected Daria. Daria sea's daughter."

He smiled and leaned over to kiss her forehead. "Tell the sea thank you for bringing me Daria. You have made me a very happy man."

She smiled and let the boat go after he pulled up the anchor, letting him row away and back to his ship. She sank down into the water until it covered her nose and watched as the men prepared to sail out. She continued to stare as the ship sailed away and closed her eyes, faintly feeling a drop of water fall from one eye.

A slightly stronger wave brushed against her and brushed against her face, seemingly wiping the tear away. She closed her eyes as the warm waters enveloped her and relaxed, letting the sea sway her. The sea loved all her children and would always be there when they needed her, to comfort and protect.


End file.
